Safety shackle



Oct. 24, 1950 D. BROWN SAFETY SHACKLE Filed Sept. 18, 1947 INVENTOR.

L EON 0, BR 0 w/v Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A 2,527,350 v f v SAFETY sHAoKLE Leon D .'Brown, Baker, Greg. Application September 18, 1947, Serial No. 774,745

The present invention relates to safety shackles, snatch blocks, and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety shackle of the class described which is light in weight, strong, consisting of a minimum number of parts, and of low cost manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety shackle for use in connection with sheave blocks, which is so constructed as to be easy to operate for the insertion of ropes, cables, or the like and which, at the same time, when once assembled for application of load, is safe against accidental opening.

For a consideration of what is believed to be novel and inventive, attention is directed to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing while the features of novelty will be pointed out with greater particularity in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating a sheave block constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an edge view of the sheave block shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the sheave block in the open condition; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentar detail view corresponding to Fig. 4 but showing the parts of the shackle in a partially open condition; Fig. 6 is a side elevation illustrating a safety shackle constructed in accordance with a further modification of the invention; and Fig. 7 is an edge view of the structure shown in Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawing, in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, is shown a sheave block constructed in accordance with one form of the invention and including a safety shackle whereby the insertion of a cable or rope loop over the pulley may be facilitated. The sheave block includes a pulley Ill rotatably mounted upon a spindle II. The frame of the sheave block comprises a pair of cheek discs I2 and I3 which are mounted upon the spindle II on each of the opposite sides of the pulley I0. The frame further includes a pair of elongated shackle members, I4 and I5 also mounted upon opposite ends of the spindle I I and secured as by rivets It to the cheek disc next adjacent thereto.

The outer ends of the longitudinal shackle members It and 15 are bent at right angles toward each other beyond the periphery of the cheek discs and pulley and overlap each other in the aligned position of the members I4 and I5 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown more clearly in the view of Fig. 2, one of the longitudinal 6 Claims. 1 (01. 254-194) 7 2 frame members, for example the shackle member I5, is somewhat longer than the other member [4 so that the right angularly bent portion IB thereof extends closely adjacent the upper surface of the right angularly bent portion I9 of the shackle member I l and on the side thereof opposite the spindle I I.

The opposite side edges of the right angularly bent portions I8 and I 9 are provided with aligned notches 2I which, in the assembled or aligned position of the shackle members I t and I5, are adapted cooperativel to receive the opposite parallel legs 24 and 25 of a supporting link 26 in the manner shown in full line in Fig. 1. The sheave block is adapted to be supported through the link 26 and which may be connected to any suitable supporting means. When the link 26 is assembled within the notches 2|, the right angular portions I8 and I9 of the frame members are securely locked in position and with load applied to the sheave block, the load is transmitted substantially uniformly between the opposite shackle members I4 and I5.

Upon the release of the load from the sheave block, the frame may be readily opened to permit removal of the rope or cable loop from the pulley II] by turning the link 26 edgewise as illustrated by dotted lines 2? in Fig. l and as further illustrated in the enlarged fragmentary detail view of Fig, 5. Upon disengagement of the link 25 from the notches 2|, the link may then be lowered onto one or the other of the shackle members I4 or I5 as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 and the frame members I4 and I5 may thereupon be separated by relatively rotating them upon the spindle I I.

In order that the right angularly bent portions I8 and I9 will engage firmly with each other in the closed position as illustrated in Fig. 4 for equal distribution of load therebetween and at the same time permit easy separation thereof by relative rotation of the side frame members as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, the portions I8 and I9 are inclined at a slight angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shackle frame members I4 and I5. For ease of manufacture, the longitudinal shackle members I 4 and I 5 are formed from fiat steel bar stock while the end portions I8 and I9 are bent along a straight line whereb the end portions extend in parallel planes. The planes of the right angularly bent portions are inclined at a relatively slight angle in the direction circumferentially of the pulley sufficient to permit close engagement of the adjacent surfaces when in the aligned or closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and also sufiicient to permit separation thereof by relative rotation of the shackle members about the spindle.

It will be obvious that, if the right angularly extending portions l8 and I9 were curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to the distance thereof from the pivot pin, the adjacent surfaces would engage fully with each other in the closed position of the shackle. Such a construction would not only be more costly but the shackle would also be more difiicult to open because of the frictional resistance to sliding movement between the concentric surfaces. By mak'-- ing the portions [8 and i9 flat and by inclining them at a slight angle as shown, the cost of manufacture is held at a minimum and greater ease of operation is accomplished.

It will be obvious from the description given that the shackle of the present invention is not to be necessarily limited to sheave blocks but may be used alone in the manner of a clevis. In Figs. 6 and '7 is shown a clevis device including a pair of longitudinal arms 40 and M which are rotatably mounted upon a transversely extending bolt 42 provided through cooperating openings of one end thereof. The opposite ends of the arms 49 and M are provided with right angularly bent portions 43 and 44 substantially identical to the portions l8 and I9 as previously described The portions 43 and 44 are provided with aligned notches similar to 2| in each of the opposite edges for cooperativel receiving corresponding parallel sides of the elongated supporting link 46. A ring 4'! attached to one end of a chain 48 is shown mounted upon the pin 42 and, for effecting removal of the ring 41, the link 46 may be swung to one side from the position shown to permit separation of the arms 40 and 4| and opening of the clevis.

Having described the invention in what I consider to be preferred embodiments thereof, it is desired that it be understood that the specific details described are merely illustrative and that the invention may be carried out with considerable modification as'to' such details.

I claim:

1. In a safety shackle, the combination comprising a spindle, a pair of spaced apart longitudinal fiat bar frame members mounted onthe opposite ends of said spindle and rotatable relatively thereabout between open and closed posi-' tions, the outer end portions of said members being bent toward each other along lines inclined at a slight angle with respect to the perpendicular of the longitudinal direction of said members, one of said members being slightly longer than the other whereby said end portion thereof: overlaps fiatwise the corresponding end portion of said other member on a side thereof opposite said spindle, said portions of said members being furthermore inclined at said slight angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of said members whereby said end portions may be separated from each other by relative rotation of said members about said spindle, aligned notches in each of the opposite side edges of said end portions, and a pair of parallel opposite legs adapted to be cooperatively received in said notches for locking said members together.

2. In a safety shackle, the combination comprising a spindle; a pair of spaced apart longitudinal flat bar frame members mounted on said spindle for relative rotation thereabout between open and closed positions, said frame members 4 having flat end portions which in said closed position extend toward each other in a flatwise, overlapping relation, one of said end portions overlying the other of said end portions on the opposite side thereof with respect to said spindle said portions extending in parallel planes parallel with said spindle but inclined at a slight angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said frame members, aligned notches in each of th opposite side edges of said portions, a supporting link element including a pair of parallel opposite legs adapted to be cooperatively received in said notches for looking said frame members together in said closed position.

3. In a-block of the character described, the

combination comprising a sheave, a spindle for said sheave, a frame for said sheave including a pair of opposite flat bar frame members mounted on the opposite ends of said spindle, the outer ends of said members being bent transversely at right angles toward each other beyond the periphery of said sheave and along lines inclined at a slight angle with respect to the perpendicular of the longitudinal direction of said frame members, said frame members being relatively adjustable between open and closed positions, one of said members being slightly longer than the other whereby the right angular bent portion thereof overlaps flatwise the corresponding portion of the other of said members on the side thereof opposite said spindle, said portions of said members being furthermore inclined at said slight angle less than a right angle to the longitudinal direction of said strap members whereb said portions may be separated from each other by relative rotation of said strap members'about said spindle, aligned notches in each of the opposite side edges of said right angular strap portions and a block supporting link element including a pair of parallel opposite legs adapted to be cooperatively received in said notches for locking said members together in the overlapping position.

4. In a block of the character described, the combination comprising a sheave, a spindle for said sheave, a frame comprising a pair of opposite flat bar side frame members mounted on each of the opposite ends of said spindle, said members being adjustable between open and closed positions, said frame members having end portions extending toward each other beyond the periphery of said sheave, said portion extending in parallel planes parallel with said spindle but inclined at a slight angle with respect to the tangent of said sheave, between said portions andsaid spindle whereby said portions may be separated to said open position by relative rotation of said frame members on said spindle, aligned notches in each of the opposite side edges of aid portions, a block supporting link element including a pair of parallel opposite legs adapted to be cooperatively received in said notches for locking said portions together in said closed position.

5. In a block ofthe character described, the combination comprising a sheave, a spindle for said sheave, a frame for said sheave comprising a pair of opposite flat bar side frame members mounted on each of the opposite ends of said spindle, said members being adjustable between open and closed positions, said side frame members each having right angularly bent end portions extending toward each other beyond the periphery of said sheave, said end portions being bent along lines inclined at a slight angle with respect to the perpendicular of the longitudinal direction of said frame members, one of said frame members being slightly longer than the other whereby the right angular portion thereof in said closed position overlies the corresponding portion of the other of said frame members on the side thereof opposite said spindle, said portions being cooperatively shaped whereby they are separable from each other by relative rotation of said frame members about said spindle, aligned notches in each of the opposite side edges of said frame portions and a block supporting link element including a pair of parallel opposite legs adapted to be cooperatively received in said notches for locking said frame members together in said closed position.

6. In a block of the character described, the combination comprising a sheave, a spindle for said sheave, a supporting frame for said sheave comprising a pair of cheek discs mounted on said spindle on each of, the opposite sides of said sheave, the diameter of said discs being somewhat greater than the diameter of said sheave, a pair of longitudinal flat bar frame members mounted on said spindle and secured respectively to the outer sides of each of said discs, said members being relatively adjustable between open and closed positions, said longitudinal members having right angularly bent end portions extending toward each other beyond the periphery of said discs, said end portions being bent along lines inclined at a slight angle with respect to the perpendicular of the longitudinal direction of said frame members, said portions in the closed position of said members engaging each other in a flatwise overlapping relation, said portions ex- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 360,041 Patterson Mar. 29, 1887 529,028 Girr Nov. 13, 1894 796,366 Smith Aug. 1, 1905 973,177 Davis et al Oct. 18, 1910 

